Division I teams averaged 76.7 points in 1991, 68.1 last year. In 1984, the year after the miracle Wolfpack, the average field-goal percentage reached a record 48.1. Last season it settled down to 43.6.

You might remember that the advent of the 3-point shot nationally (in the 1987 season) and the shot clock (1986) were supposed to promote points and make upsets impossible.

"Strange as it might sound, the 3-point line has affected it the other way," Dickerson said. "A lot of guys think they can make 3s and they aren't great shooters."

It once was considered herculean to hold a team to less than 40 percent shooting. This year Western Illinois' defense stopped opponents at exactly 40 percent. It ranked 48th in Division I.

Ohio State and VCU were the only teams to reach 88 points in the first week of the NCAA Tournament. Illinois shot 13 percent in the second half against Colorado, and won.

The slashing, basket-attacking guard now disappears into a thicket of weightlifters, or runs over a defender for a charging foul or, more likely, gets bumped off his stride without a whistle.

The NBA solved its scoring problem by calling off-the-ball fouls. The NCAA, for some reason, is reluctant.

"The physicality has changed the way we coach," Dickerson said. "We didn't have a strength coach when I played. Now we have one of the best in the country, and he travels with us everywhere.

"The play off the ball is more restricted than it used to be. Guys can't go from Point A to Point C. It's not free-flowing. And when you have that many long, athletic guys, they can make up for defensive mistakes."

The college game has also been consumed by the pick-and-roll. With restricted practice time, it's easier to teach. It requires less dexterity than the five-man motion offenses. But it also requires more oomph.

"I never played pick-and-roll," Dickerson said. "Some teams have five ways to defend it. A lot of people use it — and a lot of people aren't getting anything out of it because of the physicality."

Ohio State's average Big Ten score this year was 64.7 to 56.5 and the Buckeyes never scored more than 74 in league.

"In reality, if you can win 65-62, you're happy," Dickerson said.

"Then we played Iowa State last Sunday, and we hadn't seen a team like that. They had five guys who could shoot the 3."